The Department of Biology graduate committee begins reviewing applications for admission to our graduate program and applications for assistantships as early as February 1. If you want to be considered for an assistantship that provides a full tuition waiver (some fees still apply) and a stipend, you should do everything possible to complete your application by February 1. Learn more about assistantships.

We consider each student individually, based on academic history, research experience, aspirations, volunteer work, character, and other considerations. We do not have a set GRE score requirement, but a higher score will make you more competitive for an assistantship.

Formal faculty sponsorship of your application is important, especially in the process for granting assistantships. We strongly encourage you to learn about our faculty research interests, and read their most recent scholarly publications. You should contact (e-mail is probably best) faculty who share your research interests to determine if they would be willing and able to serve as your research advisor. You should be prepared to explain why you are interested in working with a particular faculty member. If the faculty member expresses a willingness to serve as your advisor, you should ask him or her to write a faculty advocacy letter and to put this letter in your application file.

A faculty member who wants you to work in his or her research program can promote your applications for admission and assistantship, increasing your chances of success for both. If you have questions about this process, contact Kemuel Badger.